Purple Here, Purple There…Purple, Purple Everywhere!

“I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don’t notice it.”

Alice Walker, The Color Purple

No nasty headlines here today…no GMO information, no Monsanto slamming (yeah, that’s a tough one for me) and of course, no posts about our pathetically inept guvernmint. The world is a mess, I think we’ve all gotten the memo, haven’t we? So…instead of focusing on the muckity-muck today, I thought I’d aim for something more off-beat & hopefully, positive and uplifting. Since I encouraged folks to share what they know, what they’re learning and different ways to become more self-reliant in the Like A Phoenix: Power Beyond The Fall article, I figure I should take my own advice and share some about the projects we’ve started as we walk our path of a less consumer-driven and more sustainable & satisfying lifestyle.

This past weekend we put the scrap lumber & old doors to use and got the chicken coop built. We still need to add a proper roost and nesting box but the hard part is finished at least. Total cost came to around $30 for the wire and a couple of 2×4’s. We bought more wire than we needed but I’m sure we’ll find use for the leftovers in the garden…maybe even use it to make a spiral herb garden, who knows?

Yes, there’s a bench inside…if I can’t sit down, how can they hop on my lap for a nap?!

We’re also considering adding a couple of small rain-catchers on either end of the slanted roof; we don’t get much rain here but since we are in such a horrible drought in this region, every saved drop of water counts. Total spent on the hens so far is still under $60…not too shabby and it’s possible we didn’t have to spend that much but hey, I like to spoil them with mealworms, what can I say? They are healthy & happy…not to mention, wonderful pets and tons of fun to have around! Oh, and just because the coop isn’t purple now, doesn’t mean it won’t be at some point in the future…just in case you were wondering what a plain ol’ wood coop had to do with a purple blog-post…

Along with getting the coop done, we also made time to head over and check out the new local nursery (they grow what they sell and don’t import; I LOVE that!)…it was a rainbow of happy colors, oh my! Decisions, decisions! Some of these and a few of those and oooh….lookit those flowers! In the end, I went on a purple spree…and who knew that Petunias are my favorite flower? I sure the hell didn’t know that until now!

Wait…did I just say Petunias are my new favorite? Oops…I forgot all about the Purple Sage that now sits happily in our little tea-garden area!

If heaven exists, it is here and now & THIS is what it smells like! You can’t touch this gorgeous plant without releasing the fragrance…sorry there is no “Scratch & Sniff” option on computers…you’ll just have to trust me on this. I’m looking forward to having fresh sage to cook with and to make my own sage bundles for incense…and oh yes, the buzzy-bees and flutterbyes adore this plant so it’s a win all the way around.

Because we plan on using several hanging containers both inside & out and since I am, in the words of my 6ft3in son, a “short-shit”, I decided that some sort of step-ladder or stool might be helpful…I got super-lucky and scored this little old gem at the ReStore for a whoppin’ $2.

It was an ugly, chipped brown and a bit wobbly but with a couple of screws and quick coat of paint, it’s cute AND functional! Total cost was under $5 and I am sure I’ll more than get my money’s worth of use out of it. My only problem now is wondering if I shouldn’t have painted it purple but hey, I guess it makes sense to add an accent color here and there, doesn’t it?

In keeping with my love of all things purple, I decided to go all out and treat myself to some Manic Panic Purple Haze color for my hair. It’s not exactly non-consumerist of me but considering I cut my own hair, use maybe 1 eyeliner pencil every two years and spend about $20 a year on “gurl stuffs”, I’m not going to sweat a $10 splurge now and then. Besides, I’d hate to offend my pretty Mad Hatter’s tea-party- garden-in-the-making by being a bland presence in it…it’s a tough sacrifice for me to make (Mwahahahahhaha believe THAT and I’ll sell you the beach-front property next door for a helluva price!) but ya know, it’s a tough world out there and sometimes…well, a freak’s gotta do what a freak’s gotta do!

“How Not To Dress In The Bible Belt” taken on our southern vacation a couple of years ago…

For wonderful gardening tips, take a minute (or several!) and check-out Auntie Dogma’s Garden Spot. You’ll find tons of excellent how-to information and links and in case you didn’t get enough purple from this post, you can follow up with today’s post there about…Lavender!

I’m off now for a day or so…I got a paying gig building a new blog site for a prison advocacy organization and I want to put all of my energy and focus into doing a bang-up job for them. I hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the week and I’ll be back in a few days, if not sooner!

Awesome job on the coop, I really like it. I love that there is a bench in there for you so they can nap in the lap :) Each time I see your chicks it makes me want to get some again. So tempting. I won’t run a farm again but, a few for fun and eggs would be nice. I lost some very large limbs from my lilac trees (speaking of purple) and was bummed. The hubs said by trimming them off they should grow back better, I hope he’s right. The lady we bought this house from was a purple fan too (which I like also) I have purple irises, coneflowers and a couple more. I added a purple butterfly bush which is huge and the butterflies and hummingbirds love it! Great find on the step stool, super cute. That picture of you is one of my favorites. I love it!! I must get some lavender too, I forgot how great that smell is. It is supposed to be soothing too, like if you put some in a sachet under your pillow :)

Most of the credit goes to Steve – he’s the builder man with a plan – I’m his extra right hand usually. Every time I take the chicks out of the coop to run around, all they do is wait for me to sit down and then they hop right up. I figure now I can sit for a visit first and then when I let them out, they’ll do what they need to do…forage like hens, dammit! I had forgotten what fun chickies are to raise but also what a hassle they can be with clean-up and all. Right now they are penned in the garden room because we’re in brown-out conditions with visibility below 1/4 mile…in spite of the tarp on the floor, tomorrow’s cleaning is going to be blech!
I’d LOVE to have a lilac tree and hope your hubby is right that it will come back. I had a butterfly bush I had to leave behind in this last move *sniff sniff sob* and can’t find another one anywhere right now…hence, the purple sage instead. My lavender sprouts are still puny…haven’t decided to keep them inside, outside or maybe some of both. More is usually better anyways, right? I keep seeing more and more yummy ways to cook with it so I may need a whole acre of it at this rate…damn Pinterest! ;-) And that pic was probably the last decent shot taken of me…every one I have with my favorite blue hair, I’ve got some whacko expression on my face – of course!

Love the purple quote – she was right about God and the colour purple… I’ve worn it all my life, but now I’m in my mid-seventies it looks ‘appropriate’ and old ladyish, bother it….
and I envy you your chickens… lucky old you having someone to sit on your lap !!!
And Wow, I really really love your Bible Belt out-fit – did they have a fit? or did they run you out of town???
While you’re busy on your prison project, I’ll take up Monsanto bashing for you – it’d be a pleasure…

Anytime I see purple I want to smile and feel more at peace…especially if it is in a natural form like a field of purple flowers. I read recently that chickens see more shades of color than we do so I kind of envy THEM and wonder what shades of purple my eyes can’t see?!
The Bible-Belt…oh my…culture shock! I had a few skirmishes – kids pointing and asking Mommy what was wrong with me, bubbas pointing & muttering under their breath about immoral freaks ruining the world. It all felt very weird to say the least. New Mexico may be kind of backwards and rural but there’s more of a mellowed-out, California attitude here…no one stares or points at me here and if anything is said, it’s a compliment about how *fun* my hair or outfit is. This is still Mexico in many ways and bright colors are celebrated and appreciated – as they should be!
I’m thrilled about the prison project & have much respect for the group I’m working for. I’d have done the page for free but a little extra $ is nice, too. I’ll share a link and more information about them once all is done. Bash away….not a day goes by that Monsanto isn’t bashing our world so fair is fair, right? :-D

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